Poll Shows Americans Alarmed Over Obama's National Security Policies

11 Sep 2014

A new Pew Research poll finds that fifty percent of respondents feel that the administration’s response to terrorism has not gone far enough, a 15-point rise since last year.

The poll released on September 10 found that Americans are very worried over the rise in Islamic extremism at home and abroad. Sixty-two percent said they are very worried about Islamic extremism around the world while 53 percent said they are also worried about Islamic extremism rising inside the US.

A growing number of survey respondents also said that they think the government is not doing well with its response to terrorism. Forty-two percent felt the government was failing to address terrorism, up 16 points from last November.

In another reversal, 50 percent of respondents now say that the government’s domestic anti-terror policies have not gone far enough to protect the country, while 35 percent say the government has gone too far. A year ago, 47 percent said the government had gone too far in restricting civil liberties.

More Americans also feel that Islam is more prone to radicalism than other religions. Fifty percent now say Islam is more prone to extremism. By comparison, just as far back as July, only 43 percent thought Islam was easier to radicalize.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com